Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-08-17
THE BROWNING CLUB.

/ Browning writes. Now ! could see some
( sense in a Shakespeare society or Homer
society, for these two estimable gentle
men have been dead some time: but Mr.
! Browning is alive and well. and If any
point in his writings Il obscure | should
think il the more practicable plan Ia send
the old man n post card with a return half
10 il and frankly ask him what he was driv-
| ing AT. This would only cost "A few cents
and would save an endless amount of dis
cuSSion that settles nothing. anyhow.
Browning societies are mostly composed
| of ladies, but ROW and then man is ad-
| mitted as a special favor. and on the
| evening when Mrs, Fcrnficld Hoskins
| gave a discourse ON a stanZa of Browning
/ had the honor Of an invitation.
The room was well filled and was per
vaded with that subdued hum Of polite
| conversation that is characteristic Of our
cultured assemblies. | found chair we'll
in the background, and sat directly behind
a couple of exceedingly pretty and very
stylishly dressed young ladies. | could
not help thinking how We are apt TO err in
our estimate of those who move in what is
termed good society, for | had noticed
each Of these young ladies on the avenue
~ different times, and my haSty conclu-
slbl NstS Allst1 AlltN Ntit lElNtipliS young
things who had not either of them a mind
above the latest Paris fashion, Vet here
ey We're prepared 10 enjoy an intellectual
treat, for it is well known that Mrs Fern
field Hoskins, of Boston, is not only an
earnest student, but deep thinker.
That l overheard the conversation of
those young ladies during the evening
was not my fault, because they spoke to
zach ,fh har with flnir fnns e., .hasr
faces, which naturally reelected the sound
back to me.
You know, Florrie, | have been just
dying to have talk with you and 10 hear
all the particulars. OF course | heard
good deal about il and il was SO romantic,
but rs you Were there you will have SO
much more to tell. Was il true that you
found young Hartford starving in a garret
in Paris I think that WAS perfectly de
Gcious. And they said you We're with her
when she went TO his studio. never know
ing it was his. But of course she did
know, didn't she! You were her brides
maid when they were married in Paris
Do tell me all about it" At this moment
there was a ripple Of applause and the
chairman of the society rose and said that
the name OF Mrs. Fcrnfeld HOskins was
sufficient introduction To any cultured au-
dience in the world. tApplauSe.) He
WAS sure that nowhere would the talented
lady have a warmer welcome than in De
troit. (Renewed applause Ii was ut
once his pleasure and his privilege 10 pre-
sent Mrs. Fernfield Hoskins 10 the Brown
ing club of Detroit Great applaUse.l
At this a gray haired lady of dignified
presence slowly rose and came forward TO
the desk. on which she placed an open
book. There was a warm greeting from
the arrlience and the two young ladies |
before me daintily patted their neatly |
gloved hands. Mrs. Fernfield Hoskins |
adjusted her glasses and, after few eUlo- |
CYSTIC remarks about the poet, read in a |
well modulated voice the following lines: |
Where's the gain
How can We guard our unbsef
Make it bear fruit TO u.s. The problem here.
Just when We are safest, there's a sunset touch,
A fancy from flower b-ll, some ones death,
A chorus ending from Euripides.
And that's enough for fifty hopes and fears,
As old and new at once as Natures self,
To rap and knock and enter in cur scul.
Take hands and dance there. fantastic ring,
Round the ancient Idol, On his base again
The great perhaps
This stanza from 'Blougram,' began
Mrs. Ferntield Euskins, is, as you are
well aware
"Now, Florric,' whispered the girl at
the left. what | never could understand
WAS why old Coupon would not allow
Fanny TO marry y"ung Hartford here.
when he failed, and yet gave his consent
to the marriage when they found him
starving in Paris. There isn't any senti-
ment about John Coupon, and poor
young man in Paris is just the same to
him as poor young man in Detroit.
don't believe he has an affection for any
thing on this earth except that railroad
of his"
Well" said the girl on the right, 'if
you tell me what you heard OF the story
I'll tell You whether il is correct or not"
"All right. Hartford was engaged 10
Fanny Coupon the year before. Old
Coupon never seemed 10 like the match
very well, but Hartford appeared 10 be
getting along well on the board Of trade,
and SO he consented. Then he lost every
thing on that wheat deal Was it a
wheat dealy'
Pork, think
''Well, anyhow, old Coupon went down
to his office and they say he abused him
fearfully. You know how Old Coupon
can talk when he gets reused up. He ac-
CuSttl Hllll vi NdnAIil- W Stb Il amy nan
million that her mother left her and all
that Hartford was broken hearted and
left for Paris. You know what talent
for drawing he had. Well, they say he
swore he would become great painter.
Coupon took Fanny abroad SO that she
would forget him and when they We're in
Paris she went 10 his studio To get her
portrait painted and found him starving
h., ,,l- finally
her fathers consent to their marriage.
Now was that how il was;'
well, not exactly. When Fanny's
mother died she left her half a million.
Her father made her put It in the stock Of
that railroad he's president of. Fanny's
stock with her fathers stock gave him
control, and he did as he pleased. The
other stockholders tried often to beat him,
bat they couldn't, and he ran things
without consulting any one else. Well.
when we were in Paris, Fanny didn't
seem to trouble herself much about her
lover. and her father was well pleased.
One DAY we were out shopping, and when
we came to the hotel we found old Coupon
pacing up and down the room like a lion.
He had crumpled cablegram in his hand.
He never minded my presence bit Che
never did care for any one but himself,
but he turned to Fanny ike n mailman:
"Oh, you re here at last, are you? Say!
have you sold any of your railroad stock
.'Yes, father, I've sold it all"
Great heavens! Do you mean 10 tell
me that: What, in the name Of all the
liends, Irade You do such thing as that
without consulting me? How dared you
do it?''
You know what Fanny is. She's chip
of the old block, tell you. She stood
there As calm, pulling off her gloves, and
never even turned pale.
''Dared%' she said Il dared because
it was my own and because | am - years
old That's why | dared. "
Oh! you ought 20 have heard old Coupon
swear. Ii was just dreadful. He brought
down his fist on the table and l thought
he would have split il i'll two.
I